LGB Alliance starts Helpline for teens and young adults

[IwantToRetire]

This isn't a specifically for women, lesbians but aimed at young people who are feeling confused or bullied whilst trying to work out who they are. Thought some on FWR might have siblings, children, who might find this useful.

Q: Why did you select the age range 13 – 24?

Adolescence is often a time of turmoil and change and teenagers can struggle as they begin to think about who they are.

Whilst acting on any sense of same-sex attraction may be years away, the worries and fears associated with the idea that you are ‘different’ often start early.

Young adults, on the other hand, may be more settled in their sexual orientation but struggling with a new world of relationships.

Whilst the support would be framed differently and always in an age appropriate manner, the underlying message from our volunteers will be meaningful to all teens and young adults – it’s always fine to be you.

Q: How is it different to any other service?

Like other helplines, we’ll be there to support teens and young adults facing a whole host of issues – ranging from coming out and bullying to break-ups and family alienation.

What makes us unique is that the service won’t suggest to a teenage girl who feels different, because she prefers short hair and playing sport, that she might really be a boy. And it won’t tell a teenage boy who is being bullied for being effeminate that maybe he’s really a girl.

Many young adults report being shamed for their lesbian, gay or bisexual relationships by those who would say that same-sex attraction is in some way bigoted. We start from the premise that homosexuality is perfectly natural.

There is much more info about safeguarding and how volunteers were recruited on this web page https://lgballiance.org.uk/our-helpline-is-open/

Childline have just the one number/helpline for all children and young people.

https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/your-feelings/sexual-identity/gender-identity/

I beg your pardon, they have a different website for under 12s. However the helpline number is the same:

https://www.childline.org.uk/get-support/u12-landing/

This isn't for people aged 24 though.
Clearly you disagree but I think it's inappropriate to have children and adults contacting the same service and it not having different policies.

Young Minds also run a helpline for under 25s and Papyrus’s helpline is for under 35s. The objections seem to be to a charity for LGB people doing what several other organisations already do.

No they run a helpline for parents of young people under 25 and papyrus also is for people under 35 it doesn't specify anything about children phoning so I can't comment on if they offer support to children but it certainly doesn't advertise anywhere it talks to 13 year olds.
Can I just ask why you object so much to children and adults having separate distinct services advertised to them? or at least being screened for ages before they're assigned a volunteer?

Maybe an idwa to get in touch with LGBA direct and make these points to them, they are looking for feedback and open to hearing concerns.

Having an LGB helpline for young people sounds like a great idea. Having distinct 'branches' for teens, and for over 17s? 18s? also sounds like a great idea and hopefully the LGB Alliance will welcome the suggestion.

Childline is not the model to follow. Their issues around gender identity and sexuality are plain to see. James Esses has documented this. Presumably because they're part of the NSPCC and therefore like an extended arm of government (they have statutory safeguarding powers), no one wants to them that stone over. That is wrong. They need looking at. Forensically.

Ages 13 to 24 are inappropriate. LGBA should know this. Allison Bailey pointed it out and they were dismissive and rude to her about it.

I don't care if it's how others do it. Two wrongs don't make a right. I also don't care if it is how the lottery structures their funding (if that turns out to be the case). That would also be wrong.

Ages 16 to 17 are within the age of consent and before one is legally an adult. They also should not be mixed in with 13 year olds.

This project has real potential for disaster and I'm surprised they can't see it, and that so many on FWR can't see it either. It seems we've really gone backwards as time was, lots of posters would immediately point out the issues and say that because we are normally on board with people/groups, it doesn't mean we overlook issues like this.

If you read LGB Alliances article you would see they know that only too well.

It is always worth reading the link in an OP rather than responding to the OP

Honestly, did anyone read what LGB Alliance actually wrote before replying.

Next time I start a thread I will just put in a link.

So many of the comments bear no relationship to what LGB Alliance have explained.

Also, bizarre on FWR to talk about it being inappropraite for young teens to acess a help line, when from other thead, it appears they are getting taught in school from an even younger age that they are trans because they aren't gender conforming.

Ah yes they direct young people to the Shout textline. I suppose a more similar provider would be Brook who provide a text and webchat to under 25s.

I don't have any objection to them being screened for age. I'd think you would need to to know what you were dealing with, although obviously people could lie. Can I ask what you think a 13 year old and a 17 year old (who may be choosing their university, working, having sex) have in common?

Yes. I've read their comms on this.

Thanks for the link. It pretty comprehensively covers the concerns raised

Particularly
Everyone who gets in touch will be connected directly, via live-chat, to a one-to-one conversation with a trained volunteer. There are no chat rooms and there is no peer-to-peer contact. We are alert to the fact that any service for young people is liable to be targeted by those who would seek to exploit their vulnerability and we have taken steps to guard against that.

All contacts will be asked how old they are so that the volunteer can respond to them in an age-appropriate and responsible manner. It will also ensure that they can advise children against risky or illegal contact with others.

(My emphasis)

Under 18 safeguarding policies instead of adult safeguarding? Hence why I said I find it worrying they haven't specified any separate safeguarding policy for the two groups. Is there a reason why you keep googling and then bringing up other services when this thread is about this particular helpline? I don't know anything about Brook and a quick glance at their website I can't find a chat advertised to 13 year olds - 24 year olds. I'd ask you to link it but it seems like it's just going off topic.

Seems like a good sign that they are open to feedback.

I hope those with concerns feel able to do that.

I'm sure they would supply their policies on request.

It's got to be positive to have someone teens/ young people can talk to who isn't immediately going to suggest that they must be trans...

It is very much not the same as having 13-24 year olds all in the same room chatting to each other.

Does the helpline say how they'll support young same sex attracted transgender people, particularly those who are being bullied, excluded and stigmatised for coming out as trans?

Or does it not offer support to this group because it doesn't believe it exists?

There's a link in the OP.

Yes. They seem very clear about what they do and do not provide. If the volunteers are appropriately checked and trained, I can't see any reason why they can't deliver a listening ear as effectively to a 13 year old as 24 year old. It's space to talk without being shoved on to the trans express, first stop Gender GP.

Do you not think that advertising a service to young people and stating that range is between 13-24 is playing into the adultification of children we are seeing elsewhere? I don't think we should be doing anything to suggest to children that people in their 20s are a peer group.

I don't think this helpline will do anything to prevent children questioning their gender or the "trans express" because those children are unlikely to use it since it already states it's not for discussing that, it's for discussing same sex attraction.

Did you click through and read the link?

The Teenage Cancer Trust has the same age range for their support, 13-24 years. I've never seen anyone handwringing about that. Makes you think.

Edited typo

No I don’t think it plays into the ‘adultification of young people’. I think it acknowledges that under 25s are not as mature as they think they are and that teens are more likely to use a service that isn’t for ‘little kids’.

You don’t seem to understand that part of the problem we have is because young people who are unclear about their sexuality are being told that is a sign they are trans. There is no space I can think of that gay teens and young adults can go to that won’t raise “let’s look at your gender identity”

Do they check the social media feeds of their volunteers?

Some of the comments about trans people I've read from GCs on Mumsnet are absolutely disgusting. Do they sieve these people out? I'd hope so.

It's really obvious that posters are googling ages ranges and not even bothering to read the websites they're quoting. Where does teenage cancer trust advertise a phone line to 13-24 year olds as though they are a peer group please?

I find it funny you also don't see why a service discussing sex and sexuality should have rigorous boundaries between children and adults.

DESGUSTANG